This document discusses ethics and news values that radio news researchers must consider when selecting news stories. It provides examples of two news stories that effectively utilized ethics and news values to increase public interest: 1) A story about former footballer Adam Johnson being convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl that invaded his privacy but kept public interest due to the serious nature of the crime. 2) A story about World War 2 anti-tank rockets being found at a bus stop that was both serious, concerning public safety, and sensational due to local history. It also discusses how a story accusing UK Prime Minister David Cameron of tax avoidance is serious and invades his privacy, maintaining public interest.

1. DeclanTyldesley
Ethics and News Values
When radio news researchers are looking for relevant news topics to use in their radio show they must
considerparticular ethics and news values, which are in relation to the legal and regulatory constraints. By
doing this they’ll have a predominantly good chance of not breaking any of the regulatory constraints
conducted by The Office of Communications (Ofcom). Some ethics and new values which they need to
considerare whetherornot it is a serious or sensational news story, whether it invades someone’s privacy
and also if the public will be interested.
Adam Johnson News Story
Furthermore, a mainstream news story which includes a substantial
amountof radio news story ethics is long-going news story surrounding
the past Sunderland footballerAdamJohnson. Thisparticular news story
has beenaroundforalmostmore than twomonths therefore, the public
are still remaining interested within this news story. One of the most
recent news stories surrounding Adam Johnson was conducted by The
Mirror and itstated ‘Desperate Adam Johnson says visits from daughter
are the ‘only way he will survive in prison’. Also, this news story would
have been placed in The Mirror as this newspaper attracts a broad
demographictargetaudience therefore,the public’sinterestwill remainmuch longer, upon this news topic.
In terms of ethics I believe this particular news story is incredibly serious as the footballer Adam Johnson
who someone might look up to has sexually assaulting a fifth teen year old girl. This is known as a serious
newsstory because some parents might be disturbed that the person who their son used to look up to has
become a sex offendertherefore;Ithoroughlybelieve that they’ll be worriedfortheirson. Thisisalsoknown
as a serious news story because the football club Sunderland and all of the families involved have been
affected because they will have press and journalists on their doorstep asking if they have heard anything
about the topic or knew anything before the news story was released out to the public. I also think this
aspect would have developed the publics interested, as the public in my opinion will become fairly
mysteriousassome of them might believe that a specific person knew something. This news story is also a
story priority as it is known throughout all of the UK therefore, making it a national topic.
Despite my facts stated above I do thoroughly believe that the news has prominently invaded Adam
Johnsonsprivacy,asthe newshave talked about his background and what might have influenced him to do
such a terrible thing. In addition, the radio news has also gone into thorough detail about his marriage and
theirdaughterAyla. Inaddition,asthe BBC broadcastto everyone inthe UnitedKingdomtheywillmore than
likelybroadcastthiscontentasthistopicis well known and the public are interested in this particular news
topic. Furthermore, as they have invaded his privacy they have been able to follow up multiple different
angleswhichwouldhave developedthe demographical public’s interest substantially as they want to know
more about thisnational andmainstreamnewsstorysurroundingone of England’sgreatestfootball players.
The Mirror newspaper has also stated that ‘Adam Johnson could face ‘bloody torture with razor blades’ in
prisonandwarnednot to throw‘millionaire strops’. I think this on the other hand would have substantially
increasedthe public’sinterest as; it is trying to develop their interest throughout the usage of violent text.
For example, withinTheMirror article they stated one sex offender got ‘held down, cut across the nips, his
face, his c***, and then one of the lads stuck a blade in his a***’. This on the other hand, might have gave
AdamJohnsona bitof sympathybut,inmy opinionthiswasrestrictedwhenyouthinkbacktowhat he did to
the fifth teen year old girl. In addition, within radio news they also would have used forms of audio
surroundingthisnewstopicas developedthe audience’sinterestwhenhearingsomething true and reliable.
However,Ialsobelievethere wouldhave alsobeenalarge amountof newsroompolicyas the aspectI stated
above isseenas incrediblyviolentand influential to some lower social class profiles. To conclude, I believe
the public interest surrounding this particular news story has been substantially increased in my opinion
prominently because of Adam Johnson’s privacy being extensively invaded.

2. DeclanTyldesley
Anti-tank Missiles News Story
In contrast, anothernewsstorywhich used a substantial amount of radio ethics and news story was a news
storywhichis titled;‘Anti-tankrockets from World War Two found at bus stop’. In addition, this news story
was alsopublishedbythe publicservice broadcaster the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). Within the
news article they stated that the ordnance was found on Epping Road,
Coopersale.Theyalsostatedthat the WW2 anti-tank rockets were dealt
with by the Army Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit who disposed the
rockets‘nearby’. Theyalsostated that the ‘anti-tank rockets were taken
to a nearby field and blown up after the discovery’, Essex police said.
Furthermore, in reference to the ethics and news values I believe this
particular news story could have been both a serious and sensational
news story for multiple different reasons. I think this news article could have been a serious news story
because the demographical public within Essex might have been worried that WW2 anti-tank rockets have
been found on a street near them. In addition, within the news article experts also confirmed that the
missiles were live and dated from WW2. This is also quite a serious news story because I think the
demographic public will be wondering who placed the live anti-tank rockets next to a bus stop in Essex. In
addition,I alsothinkthisnewsarticle couldhave been a sensational news story as some people might have
this large sensation that WW2 rockets have been found in Essex, because one or more of their ancestors
mighthave beenpreparingtouse these rocketsagainstthe opposingforce. Foraphotoof the rocketsplease
viewthe rightside of the paragraph. I therefore,thinkbecauseof these factors this news story substantially
increasedthe publicsinterested andtheirknowledge of the newstopic. Inconclusion, I think this news story
starteda substantial newstrendbecause the demographical publicwere substantiallyinterestedin thisnews
story due to the ethics and news values which were encoded by the radio producers.
David Cameron (PM) News Story
Additionally, anothernewsstorywhichhasasubstantial amountof ethicsandnewsvaluesencoded by radio
producers is an up-coming news story which surrounds the prime minister of the United Kingdom David
Cameron. The news story I am going to analyse is titled; ‘Cameron offshore fund row: PM accused of
‘hypocrisy’. He wasaccusedof hypocrisyafterhe revealedhe hadownedsharesinanoffshore fundsetupby
his late father. On Thursday the PM also said he sold the shares before he
entered number 10 in 2010 and had paid all UK taxes due on profits from the
£30,000 sale. However, the demographical public believe the PM made profit
fromthe UK taxes. Despite this,the PMalso stated Blairmore Holdings, had not
beensetupto avoidtax. In addition,Laboursdeputyleaderalsosaidthe PMhad
calledpeople whoinvestedinsimilarschemes ‘morally wrong’. Furthermore, in
reference to the ethics and news values I believe this news story is extremely
serious because why should all of the general public have to pay taxes legally
and morally and the PM does not as he avoids the UK taxes. However,
conservative party MP’s have also been supporting the PMDavid Cameron as they thoroughly believe that
the PM haspaid all of the taxesexpectedfromhim.Thison the other hand, has once again left the public in
questioning as myself and the public are starting to think whether or not some MP’s are avoiding taxes
alongside the PMDavid Cameron. Also as the PMhas apparently not paid some of the UK taxes the Labour
party are starting toheavilyattackthe PM andconservative MP’s astheyare infull beliefthatthe majorityof
conservative MP’s including the PMare avoiding UK taxes. This on the other hand, would have developed
the publicsinterestasthe publicinmyopinionwillbe insome formof rage as theyare also in belief that the
PM has made profit from UK taxes. In addition, I also think as the vote to stay in the EU is coming up soon I
thinkthe conservative partyhave been affected badly at a substantial speed as the public are in belief that
the PM isavoiding paying UK taxes. Furthermore, this news story once again invades someone’s privacy as
the publicwantto know more as they need evidence to prove that David Cameron did not avoid paying UK
taxes. This national and established news story is invading the David Cameron’s privacy as radio news

3. DeclanTyldesley
producersandjournalistsare lookingintohispastbefore he became the PM andtheyalso lookingintoDavid
Cameron’sfatherIanDonaldCamerontosee what formof companyhe investedin before he pastedaway in
2010. I believe, the radionewsproducersandjournalistswillcontinueexecute thisnewsstoryatan effective
speed because David Cameron’s privacy seems to develop the publics interest substantially. As they want
more evidence whichwill prove Cameron not guilty of avoiding UK taxes. In addition, as the producers and
journalists have been hammering and accusing the PM he has finally admitted that he benefitted from a
Panama-basedoffshore trustsetupbyhis late father. In conclusion, I believe this particular news story will
stay at highstakesfora longamountof time as the national demographicpublicare substantially interested
inthisspecificnewsstory.Therefore,Ithinkthisnewsstorywill be at the top of the media as the PMmakes
all of the decisions for the demographical public, this news story will more than likely be followed by the
establishednewsstorysurroundingthe professional footballerAdamJohnsonasthe public are interested in
both of these news stories.